Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-01-04
LEFT TO PERISH.
COwardIy Act ola British Sea Captain
and its Ltg bt Punishment

A Yokohama letter says: The trial OF
Captain John W. Drake, the late master OF
the Inflated steamer Normanton, was con-
cluded on the Sth instant, and Captain
Drake was found guilty OF the crime with
which he was charged and was sentenced
to three months imprisonment. The cir.
cumstances under which Captain Drake
was charged with manslaughter by negli-
gence W ere as follows
A few weeks ago the British steamship
Normanton, under the command OF John
w. Drake, sailed from Yokohama for Kobe
with twenty-five japanese passengers, be-
sides thirty.nine hands all told, on board.
The next evening after leaving Yokohama
the ship struck on pinnacle rock off the
coast Of Xii. and in an hour or so settled
down. The captain, officers, and crew rowed
away from the sinking vessel, leaving the
twenty-five passengers and six OF the flremen
to perish helplessly. These mariners landed
safely next morning, but none OF the
passengers had the good luck to save them
selves. Among the passengers there were
one boy Of eleven years and five women;
not even these helpless ones were saved.
In spite Of diligent search, not single
body Of The twenty-five passengers or OF
the six firemen was found washed ashore.
The probability is that these victims went
TO the bottom with the ship, which lies in
fifty fathoms OF water, where no divers
have been able TO reach her up to to-day.
A naval court OF inquiry was instituted
In Kobe by the British Consul there, with
two shipmasters as associates. Notwith-
standing the very unfayorable nature OF the
evidence which was adduced in that court
the captain and officers were eXonerated
la Ia a ~ m n m
took hold OF the matter and preferred
against the master charge OF mansaugh'
ter by negligence.
THE CALL FOR JUSTICE.
In the mean time the press, native as
well as foreign, mas been for days filled
with articles, notes, and letters crlticising
the conduct OF the captain and finding OF
the naval court Of inquiry. According to
the story told by the survivors the "ship
had no certificate to carry passengers. OFF,
GERS and crew were not assigned to any
particular boat in case Of accidents, and no
beat drills were made FOR the last fifteen
months" The captain "tried to induce the
passengers 10 take 10 the boats, but they re-
fused. Three OF the passengers assisted the
crew in lowering the boats, but they re-
fused to get in" The ship carried "seven
boats, but only three were lowered" al
though ga fourth could have been low
cred" Evidence Of this nature is album
dant, and, further, the captain seems to
have saved some Of the ships papers, for
IN discharging his men in the consulate he
produced the ships articles and other pa
peTs.
The five leading metropolitan journals
jointly opened subscription on behalf OF
the unfortunate families whose members
were victims OF this sad catastrophe. Seye-
raj other papers also started subscriptions
for the same purpose, and contributions are
still freely c0mingin An English paper,
owned and edited by Englshmen, opened
a subscription in Yokohama, and the list
was headed by the British Minister.
HERoIsM DUTY.
The preliminary examination OF the
charge OF manslaughter against Captain
John w. Drake was held in Kobe, but the
trial was conducted in the British court in
Yokohama. After an exhaustive hearing
OF the evidence OF witnesses and OF the ar
guments OF counselors on both sides, the
Jury was absent an hour and half, and
rendered verdict Of guilty. The court
thereupon pronounced the sentence above
referred to, and added that " England eX-
poets from everybody in the English mer-
chant. service heroism, which was IN this
case sadly wanting"